


shunkhel

by eyesonly



Series: FiKi Week 2018 [6]
Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Enemies to Lovers, F/M, Lots of history, M/M, Sequel, light fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-13
Updated: 2018-07-13
Packaged: 2019-06-09 17:06:59
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,956
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15272235
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eyesonly/pseuds/eyesonly
Summary: Follow-up to "ifnêg uzbad-dashat". Fili and Kili learn the fate of their parents.





	shunkhel

**Author's Note:**

> FiKi Week Day 6: Innocence or Betrayal. I chose Betrayal.
> 
> Ask and ye shall receive! I felt like my Day 5 fit into the Betrayal category anyways, so I felt like I should just stick with it! Especially after all of the amazing feedback you amazingly precious beans left for me! 
> 
> Again, this is condensed. It's just a snapshot. As I said before, once FiKi Week is over I may revisit these fics and flesh them out more :)
> 
> Shunkhel means "betrayal of all betrayals" in Khuzdul.

_5 July 2858 TA._

_I cannot believe there are talks of peace. I sat today with the King of the Iron Hills. I have seen plenty of dwarves with hair of flames or of night like my own. I have never seen a dwarf with hair of gold. I know he is the sworn enemy of our people, but he truly is kind and gentle. We both share dreams of peace. We want to bring our people together as one. I see hope with Vali of the Iron Hills._

_\---_

_13 October 2858 TA._

_I do not know how to write this. Writing makes it real. This is a blessing from Mahal himself. Yet, this is also a curse. I am with child. The child of the King of the Iron Hills. I know I must hide this pregnancy and child. The peace talks are off. Father is being blinded by our cousins on the council. They want nothing more than to see war. Vali has done his best to stop the warring between our lands. Father is the antagonist this time. I cannot let our child of peace be known now. Maybe when he or she is born the time will be better. Until then, my precious child, you are a secret veiled in love._

_\---_

_20 June 2859 TA.._

_My heart is broken. I have never felt pain like this. What mother sends her child away? To the unknown? I just pray that Mahal will understand when I face him in the Halls of Mandos that I did it for his safety. My beautiful son. Cursed...no, blessed with the golden hair of his father. My beautiful Fili. Please forgive me. Frerin is the only one who knows. He has promised to hold this secret to his grave. He just returned, assuring me that Fili is safe in the hands of my love. I pray I will see my son again. My child made of peace._

_\---_

_6 May 2862 TA._

_Battles have kept Vali and I apart. I have not seen him in nearly three years time. I saw him tonight. In a secret tryst in neutral lands. He says our son is thriving and takes immensely after him. For that I am happy. I pray he does not suffer the madness of Durin that so plagues my family. Even Thorin is getting more mad in the face of becoming a king one day. Vali is also being pressured by his people, I fear there will never be peace between our people. I fear my child dying at the hands of his own family._

_\---_

_3 August 2863 TA._

_I was able to see Vali again a few weeks ago. The world stood still for us once more. I have discovered that I am yet again with child again. I don’t know if I can suffer through this heartbreak again. I cannot lose another child. I pray to Mahal that Durin’s blood runs strong through this child. I have no fanciful ideas of peace anymore. The warring has gotten worse. I am disgusted with all the dwarves in my life. My father, Thorin, even Vali. They all speak of pride and honor, I wish they all would look through this world in the eyes of my children. They are both of Ereborian and Iron Hills blood. I may hope that peace will be in their lifetime. I hope to see my children rule side by side._

_\---_

_19 April 2864 TA._

_Mahal has truly blessed our family. I have another son. A handsome boy of Durin’s blood. I wish I could share in this moment with my beloved Vali. I have sent a raven letting him know his name and I shall be keeping him in Erebor. Kili. My wonderful, precious Kili. One day I will tell you everything. I dream of the day you and your brother will be able to live together in peace._

_\---_

_16 December 2900 TA._

_My darling Kili,_

_I pray one day your brilliant cleverness leads you to this journal. I hope you learn everything. The truth. Your truth. Please find your brother. I fear my own days are numbered. Father knows everything. I have committed the ultimate betrayal in his eyes. He knows of you, your brother, Vali. I fear of my future. I fear of your futures. Please know that I loved you, your brother, and your father with all of my heart. Please find your brother and bring peace to the dwarven people._

\---

Kili stared at Fili. Fili, his brother. Brother, he had a brother. 

It was a month or so after they uncovered their truth. Yet, here Fili lay sleeping in his bed. Things hadn’t changed much after that. They really had no proof, other than the ring. Maybe there was a reasonable explanation.

Kili knew that wasn’t the case. He knew he was drawn to the other prince the moment he met him. Perhaps that was the reason that he hadn’t killed him initially. 

In public, he treated Fili with the same disrespect as always. Insulting him and the Iron Hills when given the chance.

Behind the closed doors of his chambers however, he doted and cared for Fili. He shared stories of his mother, Fili sharing one’s of his father. The two closer than he had ever imagined they could be. 

He lets Fili braid his hair in private, even teaching him the ceremonies involved with braiding in courtship. 

“I wonder if father ever braided mother’s hair?” Fili muses one day as Kili rests between his legs as he plaits his hair fully back in a warrior’s braid.

“I hope he did. Her hair was so long and beautiful. Braids are common for dwarrowdams, but they hold no significance other than style,” Kili explains, wincing a little at a particularly hard tug on his hair. “Ow, that hurts!” He yelps out in Westron.

“Get thicker skull. You whine like child,” Fili answers back in his own accented Westron, mirth in his voice.

Kili rolls his eyes as Fili keeps working. When he finishes he clasps his shoulder and hands Kili a mirror. 

“There, the braids of a warrior going into battle. Father kept his hair like this almost all the time. He even shaved the sides so he would have less hair in his face. Your face looks a lot like his now that I really look at it,” Fili admits softly. 

Kili smiles up at him and places a playful kiss against his lips.

“Thank you. You have Thorin and my grandfather’s big nose.”

Fili rolls his eyes playfully, softly kissing back.

“Did your mother have things to braid her hair with, maybe I can braid something of hers into your hair?’ Fili asks softly.

Kili nods standing and rummaging through a trunk full of what Fili sees is his mother’s things. He hands Fili a heavy carved wooden box. “She kept this on her vanity, I don’t think she ever traveled without it. It was very important to her.”

Fili smiles opening it, finding organized beads, ribbons, and hair clasps. He inspects all of them with his own curious amusement.

He pulls out two beads made of gold with dwarvish runes engraved on them and fondly smiles. 

“Father must have given these to her, these are from the Iron Hills.”  
“Do they mean anything?”

“They are traditional marriage beads. She was to have a braid at each temple and they would hang at the end. Most married couples wear them made out of tin or iron. Gold is for the royal family. I know these are from him.

Kili nods softly, Fili handing them to him. Fili goes back to looking through the box.

The box itself is lined in velvet, a deep maroon in color. As he runs his fingers over the velvet he notices a short piece of maroon ribbon that isn’t attached to any of the longer pieces. He gently pulls on it, causing the bottom of the box to lift up. He furrows his brows as he lifts it higher revealing a leather bound journal.

“Kili, did you know this was in here?” He takes out the small book showing him.

Kili takes it from his hands looking through it, his head shaking.

“Fili, this is it. This is everything. This is mother’s journal. I remember her writing in it but I never knew where it went after she died,” Kili’s eyes already scanning the pages. 

The next few hours are spent close together reading every word of their mother’s. 

They arrive on the last entry, Kili reading aloud for Fili.

“14 January 2901 TA. My dearest Kili, my father has ordered for me to join him on a “diplomatic meeting” tomorrow with members of the Iron Hills. I do not know of his intentions but I fear they are far more sinister than what I can imagine. I am powerless and must oblige. Please know that I love you. I have told Thorin of the location of this journal and have told him to read it in the event that I do not return home. Please find your brother, bring peace to our people.”

Kili pauses looking at the the rest of the page.

“There is more, but it’s not mother’s hand.”

“What does it say?”

“Kili, forgive me for writing this down instead of telling this to you now. I fear you are too young still, impressionable, and loyal to the duties of the kingdom that the council have laid out to you. I am writing this after the death of your mother. I know you will be told that the Iron Hills killed her. Your mother was betrayed. Thrain, her father, murdered her for treason against the throne. I believe the Iron Hills were present and the King, your true father, was slain as well in an act of betrayal of his own companions. I am also writing this after the death of Thrain. He was found dead in his chambers. They say it is from grief, but may you have solace in knowing I killed him to protect you. I now know of your brother and I can only hope that Mahal protects him as well. It is not in my power to reunite you two. I have renounced the crown for myself, but it will be yours one day. I will tell you of this journal when you become king, but I pray for your brother’s sake you find it sooner. Please never doubt your mother and father’s love for you and your brother. They sacrificed everything for you both. I am leaving for the Shire, for I know if I stay in Erebor I will be slain as well. Be brave my nephew, I hope our paths cross once more.”

Fili feels his hands shake, tears brimming in his eyes. Kili gently squeezes his hand.

“We have our answers, at least we know they died together,” Kili says softly.

“How could they? How could they just murder their own people like they were cattle? Because of love?” Fili is heartbroken and seething.

Kili pulls him into a hug, gently rubbing his back.

“Hey, don’t spill tears you know they wouldn’t have wanted you to spill. They would want us to stay strong and fulfill their dying wish. What mother dreamed for all along.”

Kili grips his hand holding it up for Fili to see. There is a proudly defiant smile on his face, still dressed in his expensive Ereborian clothes, his hair pulled back into the powerful battle braids of the Iron Hills. A perfect paragon of of the togetherness of the two cultures.

“We, as brothers, will bring peace to the dwarven lands together.”

**Author's Note:**

> Follow me on tumblr @ deanogarbage


End file.
